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December 13, 2007

Utility shutoffs in R.I. hit record high of 30,000

The number of households that have lost utility service for unpaid bills this year has surpassed 30,000 for the first time since the state began tracking shutoff figures in 1997.

The exact tally, kept by the Rhode Island Division of Public Utilities and Carriers, was 30,088 accounts terminated from January to November.

That figure includes 6,222 households that are considered "protected," meaning a customer is elderly, handicapped, seriously ill, receiving unemployment compensation, receiving federal heating assistance or qualifies as a financial hardship.

The number of shutoffs indicates how many households had their service turned off for nonpayment at some point during the year. It does not include customers who moved or canceled service voluntarily.

And it does not reflect the current number of customers without service, since many have had service restored.

State rules set by the Public Utilities Commission allow utility companies to shut off service to a customer if the delinquent balance rises above $500. However, the service of protected customers cannot be terminated during the winter moratorium of Nov. 1 to April 15.

-- Journal staff writer Timothy C. Barmann

Posted by Tim Barmann  at 4:35 PM | Permalink

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